Found Treasure

 Joshua awoke to the bustling of feet out in the corridor. The sound of hissing steam and the sinking feeling in his legs told him that the airship was descending. He quickly got dressed and joined the crew on deck.

Everyone was at the railing and pointing. As Joshua joined them he could hear the excited whispers of, "There's the island!"

The sun was just coming up over the horizon casting the palm trees on the island in a golden hue.

Captain Atherton brought the airship down close to the water and gave the order to drop anchor. They had arrived at the island that the notes in the bible described. Accordingly there was a vast treasure hidden somewhere on the small deserted island.

"Lower the skiffs!" shouted the captain.

Another release of steam, and with whirring gears, mechanical arms lowered two skiffs that were attached to the side of the airship.

Captain Atherton picked ten sailors and soon they were paddling to shore.

Joshua climbed the cables to the catwalk around the balloon above the ship where he would have a better view of this side of the island.

As Joshua made his way up to the catwalk, he couldn't help but be captivated by the breathtaking sight before him. The island stretched out like a lush paradise, its vibrant foliage intertwining with the soft sand beaches that glistened under the morning sun. The air was heavy with a sweet scent, carrying with it the promise of adventure and mystery. The skiffs were almost to shore. The dark blue water of the ocean slowly turned to a pale blue as it turned to shore. There were hardly any waves so the skiffs made an easy landing. Joshua watched as Captain Atherton led his crew into the foliage and disappeared.

He turned his attention to the shoreline. Not too far from where the crew landed an outcropping of stone came out from the island and disappeared under the water. The pale blue water extended out from were the stone vanished. Joshua took one more deep breath and descended back to the deck.

Joshua spent the rest of the day tiding up his work room and double checking his invention that allowed a diver to breathe underwater. As evening closed in he heard a shout up on deck.

Joshua arrived at the railing just in time to see the skiffs come up against the ship. The look of dejection on Captain Atherton's face told him that the excursion had not been fruitful.

The sailors started to climb back onto the airship, their heads hung low with disappointment. Captain Atherton was the last to board, his usually confident stance now replaced with a defeated slouch. Joshua could sense the aura of frustration lingering in the air as they all retreated to the main deck.

 

"I'm afraid we have not found the treasure," Captain Atherton announced solemnly to the crew. "The island's secrets remain hidden."

A collective sigh filled the air, and some crew members muttered their discontent. Joshua followed the captain and crew down to the galley where they laid out the map on a table. The captain dropped the bible next to it and they began to go over the notes again.

"It shouldn't have been that far from shore," stated the captain. "You can't hide a monastery that well, there should have been at least a foundation to see," he rubbed his temples.

"Captain," Joshua spoke up, his voice filled with hesitation, "I believe there is more to this island than meets the eye."

Captain Atherton looked at him with surprise but also a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes. "What do you mean?" he asked cautiously.

"I saw something peculiar while I was up on the catwalk." He walked over to the table and put his finger on the map. "This outcrop from shore looks more planned than natural, and the water stays a lighter shade quite a ways out. What if the island is sinking? These notes were written decades ago, who knows how much the island has sunk over that time."

Captain Atherton's eyes widened with a glimmer of hope. "You might be onto something, Joshua, we may have to use your invention one more time."

With that, everyone called it a night, expecting that tomorrow would be the big day.

The next morning, the crew prepared for their final attempt to uncover the hidden treasure on the sinking island. Joshua's invention had been tested and found to be in perfect working condition. Excitement filled the air as the airship was brought closer to the rock outcrop and the skiffs were launched once again.

As they approached the outcrop, now just a few yards from the airship, Joshua watched with a sense of anticipation mixed with trepidation. His invention had not been used with multiple divers before. One main air hose stretched over to the skiffs where a terminal sat with connection ports for each diver. Joshua hoped that he had built the pump strong enough to supply enough air. The water beneath the skiffs gradually darkened from a pale blue to a mesmerizing turquoise hue, a stark contrast to the dark depths beyond. They anchored near the outcrop, and one by one, the crew members put on their diving gear.

Captain Atherton was among the first to descend into the water, his heart pounding with anticipation. As he made his way deeper into the ocean depths, he marveled at the vibrant marine life that surrounded him. Schools of colorful fish darted past him, and intricate coral formations painted the ocean floor.

Finally, he reached the submerged ruins of what appeared to be an ancient monastery. The stone walls, covered in algae and barnacles, stood as a testament to the island's rich history. Captain Atherton's heart swelled with excitement as he realized that they had finally discovered the treasure’s hiding place.

With a series of hand signals, he directed the crew to explore the ruins further. Joshua's invention proved to be a remarkable success, allowing the divers to navigate the underwater chambers with ease. The only limitation was the length of the air hoses. Fortunately, it did not take long before they emerged into a vast chamber adorned with sparkling gems and gleaming artifacts.

Captain Atherton and the other divers stood in amazement, but the captain quickly regained his composure and signaled for the others to start hauling the treasure up to the skiffs.

Joshua watched intently as the divers started bringing up the treasure. Beautiful golden statues and crosses along with multiple chests. By mid-afternoon the skiffs were loaded to the point of sinking. Joshua could tell by their movements that the divers were getting exhausted. The divers started to climb back unto the skiffs as they brought their last loads up from the depths. They laid back on their treasures, their energy spent.

Joshua realized with concern that Captain Atherton had not come up yet. Looking at the water he saw a steady stream of air bubbles breaking the surface. He immediately realized that the captain was in trouble. A constant stream of air bubbles meant that the captain’s air hose had been severed!

Joshua tore off his shirt, threw off his shoes, and dove over the railing. With no time to spare to put on a suit, he grabbed a weight belt, wrapped it around his waist, took an air hose, and dove underwater. The crewmen on the skiffs were so exhausted they barely noticed.

Joshua forced his way down slowly releasing the air from his lungs, and replenishing from the air hose. Without the diving suit the water pressure built. The pain in his head and ears was becoming unbearable. Just when he thought he could go no further he caught site of the captain. Atherton was struggling to free his air hose that had gotten wrapped around a broken ledge of the monastery. Joshua swam over and tried to free the hose, but it was wrapped tight and leaking air where it had worn through from the struggle. Joshua signaled for the captain to take a deep breath and then disconnected the hose from his helmet. They quickly headed for the surface.

They were almost to the surface when Joshua noticed that the captain was not swimming. Joshua took a deep breath from his hose and then connected it to the captain’s helmet. With fresh air the captain was re-energized and started swimming again.

Joshua could see the bottom of the skiffs and knew that they were close, but he had held his breath too long. A burst of bubbles came out of his mouth as the beautiful rays of the evening sun, filtering down through the water, faded into darkness.

Joshua awoke to the sounds of revelry. He felt the cold wood of the ships deck against his back. As his eyes came into focus he saw the concerned look of Captain Atherton staring down at him. Joshua immediately fell into a fit of coughing, the taste of salt water brine being expelled from his lungs.

"Why did you do it?" Captain Atherton said as he helped Joshua to his feet.

"Do what?" responded Joshua, still trying to catch his breath. He felt the captain’s arm holding him up around his waist. He was leading Joshua past the revelers excited over their riches.

"Why did you risk your life for me?" The captain pressed. "I kidnapped you and forced you to be a part of something you had no interest in. Cogs and gears man! We're not even friends!"

Joshua smiled back at the captain. "That's not true sir! I have considered you my friend since the day we met! I serve a God who loves us so much that He was willing to give up His throne to come and die for us so that we could enjoy eternal life. His love is in my heart." Joshua put his hand on the captains chest. "And I believe He can put His love into a salty pirate’s heart."

The captain didn't say another word, as he helped Joshua the rest of the way to his cabin.

 

This is my commandment; Love each other in the same way I have loved you.

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

John 15:12,13 NLT